Plextor PX-716AL Owner's manual

Brand: Plextor

Model: PX-716AL

Category: Optical disc drives

Type: Owner's manual

DVD±R DL (DOUBLE LAYER/DUAL LAYER),

DVD±R/RW, CD-R/RW DRIVE

SLOT LOADING

INSTALLATION AND USERS MANUAL

MAY 2005

Model PX-716AL Internal ATAPI Drive

Plextor reserves the right to make improvements in the products

described in this manual at any time without prior notice.

Plextor makes no representation or warranties with respect to the

contents hereof and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of

merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose. Further, Plextor

Corp. reserves the right to revise this manual and to make changes in

its content without obligation to notify any person or organization of

such revision or change.

photocopied, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or

machine-readable form without Plextor’s prior permission.

First edition, May 2005.

Licenses and Trademarks

Plextor and the Plextor logo are registered trademarks of Plextor Corp. All other

licenses and trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Record Your Serial Number

For future reference, record the serial number and the TLA code (found

on your drive’s label) in the space provided below.

TLA/Firmware Revision Number

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

iii

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION STATEMENT

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following

two conditions:

(1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and

(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may

cause undesired operation.

CAUTION: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party

responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the

equipment.

CANADIAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS

STATEMENT

This digital apparatus does not exceed the Class B limits for radio noise emissions from

digital apparatus set out in the Radio Interference Regulations of the Canadian Department

of Communications.

This class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme a la norme NMB-003 du Canada.

LASER INFORMATION

These products have been designed and manufactured according to IEC 60825-1 on the

Safety of Laser products. This product comes under “Class 1 Laser Products.”

CAUTION: Use of controls or adjustments or performance of procedures other

than those specified herein may result in hazardous radiation exposure.

A Laser Caution Label is attached on the top of the internal drive model.

The laser beam emitted from the optical pickup is visible and invisible. Accordingly:

• Do not open the optical pickup housing.

• Obtain service only from Plextor-authorized personnel.

CAUTION: To disconnect the internal DVD/CD drive from an electrical current,

pull out the computer’s power plug.

iv PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

Top View of Internal Drive, Showing Caution Label Location

Detail of PX-716AL Laser Caution Labels

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

Table of Contents

1. Getting Started ..............................................................................1

About this Manual...........................................................................1

Meet Your PX-716AL.....................................................................2

What the PX-716AL Does ..........................................................2

Features of the PX-716AL...........................................................3

Minimum Configuration to Use the PX-716AL..........................6

What You Can Do with the PX-716AL.......................................6

About Software ...............................................................................7

Precautions ......................................................................................8

Where to Go From Here..................................................................8

2. Installing the PX-716AL Internal ATAPI Drive.........................9

PX-716AL Drive Features and Controls .........................................9

Front Panel—PX-716AL Internal Drive .....................................9

Rear Panel—PX-716AL Internal Drive ....................................10

What Else Is In the PX-716AL Box..............................................11

Save Your Box!.........................................................................12

Mount the PX-716AL Drive..........................................................12

PX-716AL QuickStart Installation ............................................13

Open the Computer and Prepare for Installation ...........................14

Determine Your Existing IDE Configuration................................15

Inspect Your Computer’s Cables...................................................16

Confirm That You Have an 80-Conductor IDE Cable ..............16

Do You Have Cable Select?......................................................17

Do You Need a Power Cable?...................................................18

Set the Drive’s Mode Jumper........................................................18

Changing the Mode Jumper on Your PX-716AL Drive............19

Select an IDE Configuration .........................................................21

About Cable Select........................................................................26

Set the PX-716AL DMA Jumper ..................................................27

Mount the PX-716AL Drive..........................................................28

Record the Serial Number .........................................................28

Mount the Drive in the Computer .............................................28

Using Sound Boards and Audio Cables ........................................33

Table of Contents

vi PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

3. Using Your PX-716AL................................................................ 35

What Media to Use ....................................................................... 35

DVD Media............................................................................... 35

CD-ROM Media ....................................................................... 36

Disc Loading and Drive Operation ............................................... 37

Handling DVD and CD Media.................................................. 37

Cleaning Discs .......................................................................... 38

Mounting Position......................................................................... 38

Playing DVDs............................................................................... 39

Writing to DVD Media ................................................................. 39

Specifying +R/RW or -R/RW ................................................... 39

Writing to CD-R and CD-RW Media ........................................... 39

Using the Disc/Busy Indicator ...................................................... 40

Switching to SpeedRead for Video Playback ............................... 41

Using AUTOSTRATEGY............................................................ 42

4. Maintenance and Troubleshooting............................................ 43

Cleaning the PX-716AL Drive ..................................................... 43

Upgrading Firmware..................................................................... 44

Emergency Eject........................................................................... 45

Troubleshooting ............................................................................ 46

Make Sure the Drive Is Recognized.......................................... 46

Using the PX-716AL Self-Test Diagnostics ............................. 47

5. Frequently Asked Questions ...................................................... 51

Appendix A: PX-716AL Specifications ......................................... 55

Appendix B: Technical Support .................................................... 69

How to Contact Plextor Technical Support................................... 70

Before You E-mail or Call for Support......................................... 70

Returns.......................................................................................... 71

Contacting Plextor’s RMA Department.................................... 71

Packing Your Drive .................................................................. 71

Shipping Your Drive to Plextor ................................................ 72

Appendix C: Warranty................................................................... 73

If You’re Outside the U.S. or Canada........................................... 74

Index................................................................................................. 75

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

1. Getting Started

Congratulations! Thank you for purchasing the Plextor® PX-716AL, a

reliable, high-performance recordable DVD and CD writer, rewriter, and

player. We appreciate the confidence you have shown in us. Our goal is

to put you—and keep you—on the leading edge of DVD and CD

technology.

About this Manual

Please read this manual carefully and keep it handy for easy reference.

Use the manual for installation, operation and troubleshooting. If your

drive needs service, see your dealer or call Plextor’s Technical Support

Department.

In this manual you should find all the information you need to

successfully install, operate and troubleshoot your drive. If you run into

a problem that doesn't seem to be covered, however, please contact us.

(See “Appendix B: Technical Support” for the different ways you can

reach us.) You will be connected to our friendly, helpful band of tech

support engineers. What might seem like an uncooperative drive to you

could very well be a 30-second fix to them. But we will never know

unless you contact us.

Section 1. Getting Started

2 PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

Meet Your PX-716AL

The PX-716AL is a DVD ReWritable/CD ReWritable drive that

provides professional quality DVD and CD performance for writing,

rewriting and reading.

What the PX-716AL Does

For DVDs, the PX-716AL:

• Writes DVD+R (recordable DVD, “plus” format) media at

up to 16X speed on recommended 16X or 8X media.

• Writes DVD+R DL (double layer) and DVD-R DL (dual layer)

media at up to 6X speed.

• Writes DVD-R (recordable DVD, “dash” format) media at

up to 16X speed on recommended 16X or 8X media.

• Writes DVD+RW (rewritable DVD, “plus” format) media

at up to 8X speed. (Requires 8X media for 8X writing.)

• Writes DVD-RW (rewritable DVD, “dash” format) media

at up to 4X speed.

• Supports DVD+VR and DVD-VR format for read and write.

• Reads stamped DVD discs at up to 16X.

• Reads DVD-Video discs with CSS at up to 2X CLV.

• Supports DVD-RW DRT-DM (Distributed Real Time Defect

Management)

• Supports DVD+RW background format

For CDs, the PX-716AL:

• Writes to CD-R (recordable CD) media at up to 48X speed.

• Writes to CD-RW (rewritable CD) media at up to 24X speed.

• Reads all CD-ROM, CD-RW, and CD-R data media at a maximum

of 48X speed.

• Reads CD-DA (audio) and CD-R audio media at up to 40X speed.

• Reads CD-RW audio media at up to 32X speed.

Section 1. Getting Started

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual 3

Features of the PX-716AL

• ATAPI interface: The PX-716AL easily installs in virtually any PC

with an E-IDE ATAPI interface.

• Slot loading system: Provides fast, secure loading for DVD and CD

media.

• High speed transfers: The PX-716AL supports data transfers via

Ultra DMA66, DMA Mode 2, and PIO Mode 4.

• Intelligent recording: Achieves recording at high quality and

optimum speed using any media, thanks to unique Plextor

technology:

 AUTOSTRATEGY®: Writing technology for unknown media.

When a writable or rewritable disc isn’t listed in the drive’s

internal media catalog, AUTOSTRATEGY automatically

checks the disc and develops a write strategy for it.

 Intelligent Tilt: Precise laser control and three-dimensional tilt

adjustment for uneven disc surfaces. Ensures optimal recording

and reading, especially with double layer media.

 PoweRec for CD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R DL,

and DVD-R DL media: Plextor Optimized Writing Error

Reduction Control (PoweRec) adjusts laser power and writing

speed so they’re at the optimum settings for that particular disc.

(For example, when you’re writing an 8X-rated DVD, PoweRec

checks to see if a higher speed is possible, and sets the optimum

write speed—up to a maximum of 16X.)

• VariRec: Lets you change the write strategy to record at highest

quality on different types of discs. Also provides user adjustment of

the recording power above or below a default level. This adjustment

lets you customize the optimum laser power to your own needs.

• Silent Mode: Unique technology that sets the drive for super-silent

operation. By controlling disc loading speed and read/write speed,

you reduce drive noise to a whisper.

• MMC compliance: Supports the MMC-4 command set.

Section 1. Getting Started

4 PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

• Flash memory: Allows upgrading the PX-716AL to the latest

firmware revision (available from the Plextor web site) without

opening the computer or physically accessing the drive.

• Plug and Play: Supports Windows Plug and Play.

• CPRM support: The PX-716AL supports Content Protection for

Recordable Media, so you can play CPRM copy-controlled media.

• Self-test diagnostics: The PX-716AL has a self-test diagnostic

function for easy troubleshooting.

DVD Features

• Lossless linking for DVD+R/RW and DVD+R DL: Allows

DVD+RW discs to be edited and still play on DVD-ROM players.

• Zero Link for DVD-R/RW, DVD-R DL: Has 0 byte gap between

sessions so the discs are compatible with all players. This allows

DVD-RW discs to be edited and still play on DVD-ROM players.

• Double layer and dual layer DVD discs: Reads and writes DVD+R

DL (double layer) and DVD-R DL (dual layer) discs, so you can

burn up to 4 hours of high quality MPEG-2/DVD video on a single

8.5-gigabyte DVD disc.

• Wide DVD+R/RW and DVD-R/RW media compatibility: Compatible

with a wide range of DVD±R and DVD±RW media.

• Multiple DVD types: Supports DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, multi-

border, multi-session, DVD±VR, for read and write.

• Versatile recording modes for DVD+R/RW: Including disc-at-once

(DAO), multi-session, and incremental write for DVD+R DL

(double layer) discs; DAO, multi-session, and incremental write for

DVD+R; and random access write and sequential write for

DVD+RW.

Section 1. Getting Started

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual 5

• Recording versatility for DVD-R/RW, too: Including sequential write

for DVD-R DL (dual-layer); DAO, incremental recording, multi-

border recording for DVD-R; and DAO, multi-border recording,

incremental recording, restricted overwriting, and DRT-DM for

DVD-RW.

• SpeedRead: For DVD-Video discs equipped with CSS copy

protection, you can enable fast playback (SpeedRead) or leave at the

factory default for quiet video playback.

CD-R and CD-RW Features

• Variety of recording modes: Supports track-at-once, disc-at-once,

session-at-once, multi-session, and variable and fixed packet writing.

• Buffer Underrun Proof Technology: Eliminates buffer underrun

errors, so you can safely use your computer for other tasks while

you’re writing to a CD-R or CD-RW disc.

• Wide compatibility: Wide CD-R and CD-RW media compatibility.

• Orange Book compatibility: Compatible with Orange Book, Parts II

and III.

• OPC and ROPC: Optimum Power Control and Running Optimum

Power Control, which adjust the laser power for the optimum write

strategy.

• CD-TEXT, CD+G: Supports CD-TEXT and CD+G writing.

• Overburn: Another way of burning more information onto a CD—

audio up to 99 minutes 59 seconds in length, or a data disc up to 875

megabytes in capacity.

Section 1. Getting Started

6 PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

Minimum Configuration to Use the PX-716AL

Here’s what you’ll need in order to install and use the PX-716AL drive.

• Computer: Pentium 4, 1.4-GHz or faster CPU.

• Minimum RAM: 256 MB.

• Interface: The Model PX-716AL requires an IDE ATAPI interface.

• Hard disk size: To write to a CD in image mode (that is, to write an

image of a CD to your hard disk), you need 1 GB of free space. For a

DVD, 10 GB of free space is recommended. (For more accurate

guidelines, see the help files or documentation for the recording

software you’re using.)

• Operating System: The Model PX-716AL requires Windows XP,

2000, Me, or 98SE.

NOTE: You cannot use the PX-716AL with early versions of Windows 98;

if you are using Windows 98, it must be Windows 98SE (Second Edition).

What You Can Do with the PX-716AL

Just look at some of the things you can do with your PX-716AL:

• Record slide shows or digital video onto DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL,

DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW and DVD-RW discs.

• Play DVD-ROM, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL, DVD+R, DVD+RW,

DVD-R, and DVD-RW discs.

• Record data or audio onto writable or rewritable CD media.

• Play music CDs.

• Save photos and other images on rewritable or writable CDs.

• Create a CD or DVD “sneakernet” to share information with

colleagues—just use software such as Roxio’s Drag-to-Disc to drag

and drop files onto DVD+R, DVD+RW, CD-R or CD-RW media,

then continue adding files and sharing the same disc.

• Archive images and video to DVD or CD.

• Master new software programs on DVD or CD.

Section 1. Getting Started

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual 7

About Software

In order to record on DVD±R DL, DVD±R/RW, and CD-R/RW discs

you will need to have mastering, packet writing, or duplication software

installed on your computer system. If you purchased a retail kit from

Plextor, you’ll get software packages that include such software.

You can use Roxio’s Easy Media Creator™ 7 to burn DVDs and CDs.

The software lets you burn and share anything on CD or DVD, including

music, photos, and videos; and you can easily back up your critical data

to a CD or DVD. One component of Easy Media Creator is Drag-to-

Disc, which makes the Plextor PX-716AL drive as easy to use as a hard

disk drive. (For more information about Easy Media Creator, install this

application and examine the help files.)

NOTE: Easy Media Creator 7 requires Microsoft Windows XP (service

pack 1 or later) or Microsoft Windows 2000 (service pack 4 or later). This

product will not work with Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98SE, or

Windows Me. (If you already have Easy CD & DVD Creator 6, these

should work with any operating system supported by the PX-716AL,

although they do not support DVD±R DL recording.) In addition, for real-

time MPEG-2 capture and burning, Easy Media Creator 7 requires a 1.6-

GHz Pentium 4 or equivalent.

For more details about Easy Media Creator system requirements, see:

http://www.roxio.com/en/products/ecdc/system_requirements.jhtml

For details on other software that is available for writing to DVDs or

CDs, please visit the web sites of the companies whose software you are

interested in, refer to their user’s manuals, or look at the help option

within the software. A list of various software that you can use with

your Plextor drive can be found in the Support/Compatibility section of

www.plextor.com

Section 1. Getting Started

8 PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

Precautions

Like the rest of your computer system, your PX-716AL requires

reasonable care in its installation and use.

• Keep the area around your drive clean from dust, smoke, and other

contaminants.

• Do not allow moisture or liquids, including water or cleaning fluids,

to touch the drive. Thinner, benzene, or alcohol-based solvents can

mar your drive’s surface.

• Do not drop or jolt the drive.

• Do not move, carry or transport a disc in the drive because this can

cause damage.

• Do not attempt to open the drive and service it yourself. Removing

the cover may expose you to harmful electrical voltages or the laser

beam. For your safety, entrust service to experienced service

personnel only.

• Keep your DVDs and CDs free of dirt or other contaminants, by

storing them in jewel cases. Use only industry-standard discs. Do not

insert dirty, warped, poorly balanced, or cracked discs into the drive.

• Do not clean discs using a circular motion. Instead, using a soft, dry

cloth, wipe gently in a radial motion; start at the center of the disc

and proceed to the outer edge.

• Do not attempt to clean your drive using solvent-based cleaners or an

air compressor.

• Do not attempt to clean your drive using a CD cleaning disc. These

discs can damage your drive permanently.

Where to Go From Here

• See Section 2, beginning on page 9, to learn how to install your

drive.

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

2. Installing the

PX-716AL Internal ATAPI Drive

This section explains how to physically install your PX-716AL internal

ATAPI drive in your computer.

PX-716AL Drive Features and Controls

Before proceeding, become familiar with the controls and features of

your Plextor drive. Match the parts of your drive to the illustrations

below.

Front Panel—PX-716AL Internal Drive

Figure 1: Front panel of the PX-716AL internal ATAPI drive

• Disc/busy indicator: Illuminated yellow for disc initializing,

reading, and ejecting. Illuminated amber for writing. (Blink rate

indicates writing speed.) Illuminated green during standby and when

Buffer Underrun Proof Technology is operational. Illuminated

yellow, green and amber when AUTOSTRATEGY is operational.

• Disc slot: Accepts CD or DVD disc.

Section 2. Installing the PX-716AL Internal ATAPI Drive

10 PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

• Emergency eject hole: If the automatic eject button does not work,

insert a #0 Phillips jeweler’s screwdriver and turn counter-clockwise

until the disc is ejected. Turn OFF power before using this feature.

• Eject button: Push once to eject the disc. Push again to insert the

disc back into the PX-716AL.

This button also enables SpeedRead for DVD-Video discs with CSS

protection. To enable SpeedRead, with the drive empty, press and

hold the eject button for 3 seconds, then insert a DVD-Video disc.

The disc is played back at an accelerated speed.

Rear Panel—PX-716AL Internal Drive

Also familiarize yourself with the drive’s rear panel.

Figure 2: Rear panel of the PX-716AL internal ATAPI drive

• Digital audio output connector: Outputs a digital stereo signal. Use

this to connect to a sound board that supports Sony/Philips Digital

Interface (SPDIF) or Digital-In.

Section 2. Installing the PX-716AL Internal ATAPI Drive

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual 11

• Analog audio output connector: Outputs an analog stereo signal.

Use this to connect to a sound board or audio amplifier. Use a

standard MPC-3 type, 4-pin connector.

• Mode jumper: Use the mode jumper to select operation as an IDE

master or slave, or for cable select. In general, leave this jumper at

its factory setting, which is master; and ensure that any other device

on the bus is jumpered as slave.

• DMA jumper: Use the DMA jumper to convert between Ultra

DMA Mode 0-4 (no jumper, default) and multiword DMA Mode 0-2

(with jumper installed). In general, leave this jumper at its factory

setting, which is Ultra DMA (that is, no jumper installed).

• IDE cable connector: Connects to your computer’s IDE (ATAPI)

interface using 80-conductor Ultra cable.

NOTE: Although the PX-716AL will operate with a 40-conductor IDE

cable, it may not be able to write DVDs at 16X unless an 80-

conductor IDE/ATA cable is used.

• Power connector: Connects to your computer’s power supply to

provide DC +5 volts and +12 volts to the PX-716AL.

What Else Is In the PX-716AL Box

What you find in your Plextor box depends on what the company that

sold you the box put in—or took out—while the Plextor drive was in

their possession. Plextor currently sells the PX-716AL drive in this

configuration:

• PX-716AL DVD±R DL, DVD±R/RW and CD-R/RW drive

• 80-conductor IDE/ATA cable

• 4 mounting screws

• Extra jumper

• Plextor software disc with bundled Roxio Easy Media Creator 7

Basic DVD Edition

• PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

• Quick Installation Guide

Section 2. Installing the PX-716AL Internal ATAPI Drive

12 PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

Save Your Box!

Be sure to save the box after you have installed your drive. The box

and its packaging material were designed and drop tested to ensure

your drive can endure rough treatment and still arrive in working

order. If you have to ship your drive back to Plextor, you’ll want to

send it in the original box. (For more details about returning your

drive to Plextor, see page 71.)

If the security sticker on top of your box is cut, there may be a good

reason: for example, a dealer may have added other components or

software. Carefully check the contents to ensure nothing has been

removed. If something is missing, contact the party from whom you

purchased the box for an explanation.

NOTE: This applies to the Plextor retail kit in the brown box. Your drive

may have been shipped in a different box with other contents, depending

on whom you purchased the drive from and what they included inside the

box.

If your drive came pre-installed, some or all of the items above may

have been installed and may not be separately available. See the Plextor

web site for locations to purchase additional or replacement accessories.

Mount the PX-716AL Drive

Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to mount the drive:

1. Turn OFF your computer system.

2. Set the jumpers for your new PX-716AL drive, if necessary.

3. Mount the drive into an available drive bay inside the computer

system.

4. Make all necessary cabling connections: IDE cable, power cable, and

audio cable.

5. Turn your computer system ON.

The following pages give more details for this procedure.

Section 2. Installing the PX-716AL Internal ATAPI Drive

PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual 13

PX-716AL QuickStart Installation

For Experienced PC Users Only

If you’ve installed computer peripherals before, use this QuickStart

installation to get up and running quickly.

IMPORTANT NOTE: To ensure maximum writing speed, you must

connect the PX-716AL to an 80-conductor IDE/ATA flat ribbon cable.

(This newer 80-conductor ribbon cable is physically interchangeable

with the 40-conductor cable found in older computers.)

Typical Scenario 1: You have a PC with an IDE interface installed,

you have Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP, and you have nothing

installed on the secondary IDE port. What to do: Leave the PX-

716AL’s jumper set to Master, attach it to the secondary IDE port,

and go. Windows will recognize the drive automatically.

Typical Scenario 2: You have a PC with an IDE interface installed,

you have Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP, the primary IDE port

already has two devices connected and you have a CD-ROM

installed on the secondary IDE port. What to do: Change the CD-

ROM to Slave, leave the PX-716AL’s jumper set to Master and

attach the PX-716AL to the secondary IDE port. Windows

recognizes the new drive automatically.

If neither of these situations applies to you, or you’re not comfortable

with IDE installation, read the rest of this section for more detailed

installation instructions.

Section 2. Installing the PX-716AL Internal ATAPI Drive

14 PX-716AL Installation and Users Manual

Open the Computer and Prepare for

Installation

To determine whether your PX-716AL will be a Master or a Slave, open

your computer and examine the IDE connections to the motherboard.

To open the computer:

1. Before proceeding, make sure the power to your computer and any

external peripherals is OFF and your computer is UNPLUGGED

from its power source.

2. Remove your computer’s cover, following the directions provided by

your computer’s manufacturer. Typically, this involves loosening or

removing several screws on the back panel of your computer and

sliding off the cover. See Figure 3 for an example.

Figure 3: Removing a typical computer's cover

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Plextor PX-716AL Owner's manual

Brand: Plextor

Model: PX-716AL

Category: Optical disc drives

Type: Owner's manual

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